Michel Prudhomme House · National Register of Historic Places
Opelousas’s story
306 years in pictures
13 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1720Opelousas is settled
OpelousasLA
A town of 15,495, settled in 1720. Home to 13 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Z28scrambler · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
15,495
−5.1% since 2010
Typical home
$134K
−2.1% in a year
Household income
$33K
median
Median age
37.1
years
Jobs based here
9,923
A job hub
What makes Opelousas stand out
The 3 things Opelousas does most differently from other towns.
Michel Prudhomme HouseHistory
Settled in 1720
13 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 306 years.
100 U.S. towns● Opelousas
Health
100% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than LA on 2 measures, worse on 21.
$134Ktypical home
Housing
$134K typical home
38% below the LA typical home
Down 2.1% in a year.
A job hub
Every workday, about 8,546 people come to Opelousas for work
Where Opelousas’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
9,923jobs based in Opelousas
25%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Opelousas’s report card
HealthD−Healthier than 0% of U.S. townsHousing$134K38% below the LA typical homeSafetyD−Less crime than 1% of U.S. townsOutdoors0 miof trails · 1.2% conservedCommute22 miHalf of commuters travel lessClimate92°/41°Summer high · winter lowSchoolsB+Beats 65% of LA districtsHazards66/100High risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Opelousas
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Opelousas? Is a D− for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Opelousas’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →75°
Clear
H 92° · L 71°
Local news
All →- Opelousas police warn public of impersonation scamsKLFY.com · Oct 2
- St. Landry Parish deputies seize record amount of synthetic marijuana; Opelousas man arrestedKATC · Oct 1
- Search continues for Rick Rubin in Opelousas areaKLFY.com · Oct 1
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Opelousas. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 0% of U.S. towns
Opelousas beats the Louisiana average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21.
D−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Louisiana
2 better9 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Opelousas | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.1% | 16.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.2% | 7.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 26.8% | 12.4% |
Opelousas General Health System
1.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among LA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Opelousas home is worth about $134K
The typical Opelousas home is worth about $134,000, down 2.1% in a year, 38% below the Louisiana typical home.
$134KZillow home value
Typical home value
Opelousas$134K
Louisiana$217K
Market temperature
112
days on market
99%
sale-to-list price
−2.1%
value change, 1 year
11
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 1% of U.S. towns
Opelousas reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less.
D−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Opelousas14
Louisiana4.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Opelousas46.1
Louisiana18.6
U.S.15.5
1st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
6th
percentile among LA towns
210
violent crimes reported in 2025
693
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Outdoors
1.2% of Opelousas is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
1.2%conserved
1.2%
conserved · 77 of 6,170 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#66
most conserved land in LA
#38
most walkable in LA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Park | — | 55 |
| 2. North Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Opelousas
About one in 4 of Opelousas’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Lafayette (16%), Baton Rouge (5%) and Broussard (2%). Half commute less than 22 miles.
25%work in town
Where working residents work
In Opelousas25%
Lafayette16%
Baton Rouge5%
Broussard2%
New Orleans2%
22 mi
median commute distance
9,923
jobs based in Opelousas
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Opelousas has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter43–63°
Spring58–79°
Summer72–91°
Fall58–80°
Nov 23
typical first frost
Feb 28
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Opelousas’s public schools outperform 65% of Louisiana districts
The public schools Opelousas’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 65% of Louisiana’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park Vista Elementary School | PK–4 | 533 | C |
| Grolee Elementary School | PK–4 | 404 | D |
| St. Landry Charter School | K–7 | 315 | Not graded |
| Northeast Elementary School | PK–4 | 232 | D |
| Opelousas Junior High School | 7–8 | 314 | D |
| Creswell Middle School | 5–6 | 162 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduationAll 10 schools →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
70
paid flood claims since 1978
14
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Landmarks
13 places in Opelousas on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Opelousas
40 notable people were born in Opelousas.
C
Charles Michael JarrellAmerican prelate of the Roman Catholic Church · born 1940
About Opelousas
City in Louisiana, United States
Opelousas (; French: Les Opélousas; Spanish: Los Opeluzás) is a small city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190 were constructed with a junction here. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2025 estimated population for Opelousas is 15,098. According to the 2020 census, Opelousas has a population of 15,786, a 6.53 percent decline since the 2010 census, which had recorded a population of 16,634. Opelousas is the principal city for the Opelousas-Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 80,808 in 2020. Opelousas is also the fourth largest city in the Lafayette-Acadiana Combined Statistical Area, which has a …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1720
- Population
- 15,786
- Area
- 7.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 69 ft
- ZIP code
- 70570, 70571
- Area code
- 337
More about Opelousas
Still missing for Opelousas:archive photosupcoming events